SEPTEMBER 03, 2025
Topic: “EARTHLY WORK IN PAYING THE PRICE FOR THE CHURCH JESUS LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY – “
Text: Mathew 4:1- 3, Ezekiel 22: 30, 31 Behold I seek for a man to stand in the gap
Memory Verse: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Matt 4:1-2
Intercession means to expose oneself for the protection of something” This means you take the position on the battlefield in place of a wounded brother or sister in Christ. This is not always the easy thing to do, but it is certainly the necessary thing to do. It can also be defined as standing in the gap in prayer between a person or persons who have provoked judgment upon themselves through their wrongdoing and the actual execution of that judgment. Or to put it simply, intercession is prayer to hold back judgment.
There were two occasions when Moses had to stand in the gap or make intercession for the children of Israel who had provoked God by their idolatry. Standing in the gap might also be as a result of direct attacks of the devil on individuals who are powerless to fight back, groups of people in the church who have been held in bondage, there might be need of deliverance.
Numbers 14:11-19 “…. and the Lord said unto Moses, how long will this people provoke me?”, Isaiah 49:24-26 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
Math 11:12 John “The church of God suffereth violence and the violence take it by force” some might not understand that they are undergoing violence, it is the place of the intercessor to stand in the gap and pay the price to rescue.
Moses succeeded in his intercession for the children of Israel Ps 106:23
The Intercessor however must understand that it is not what is convenient for him to do to intercede, but as required by the Holy Spirit through prayer, this is when God is committed to answering prayers.
PRAY: PRAYER OF ENQUIRY – Ask for directions on how to intercede and stand on appropriate scriptures before embarking on intercession, so it will not amount to a waste of time.